I love hotels. There is nothing I want on vacation more than to be in a good city, in a good hotel. A trite, boring statement, right? Obvious! Who doesn’t? But as with everything I love, I’ve become a bit of critic. When I fantasize about exiting the writing game, I think about being a hotelier. I’ve stayed at places ranging from 2 to 5 stars in the last year and change, so here are my top considerations—and I’m naming names!
In the Monday afternoon chat today in the Tomato Tomato Discord, I want to hear your hotel thoughts and for you to share your own favorites. When you become a member, you’ll automatically receive an invitation to join by email. Existing members can find the link to join at this page.
Last Week at the Desk… I wrote about generational shifts in media (real and fictional), and put out the Monthly Menu eating, cooking, and drinking roundup. Upcoming at the Desk… This Friday, I’ll send out the Book Club notes on Sidney Mintz’s Sweetness and Power. Next Monday, an essay the Times commissioned in 2024 and killed in 2025! Catch up on Tomato Tomato issue 01 because issue 02 is in the works. In the Discord, folks have been discussing their coffee orders, the Tony trailer, and more.
The Self-Edit Workshop, its follow-up companion, will be tomorrow, May 12, at 11 a.m. EST. The brand-new Everything You’ve Wanted to Know About Selling a Book will be on Tuesday May 19 at 11 a.m. EST. The next Food Essay sessions will take place each Tuesday in June at 11 a.m. EST. The Newsletter, Research & Organization, and How to Create an Editorial Vision (free) workshops are now available as downloads.
1.
I don’t want to walk into a hotel and immediately see things for sale. I think this is doable even at a cheaper spot: hide them! Immediate commerce and Frito-Lays signal that I’m not about to be taken care of at even a basic level. The Cambria hotel in Somerville, Massachusetts, where I’ve stayed now twice, does a great job of both having the little grocer tucked away and having a curated but ample selection that mimics the feel of a good in-room minibar rather than a brightly lit 7-11. I got these Hot Dates there and they deliciously sustained me through a long travel day.
2.
A good bar is a must from the 3-star level and up; good food is always a bonus. I expect a tinge of mediocrity in hotel food, to be honest, because it’s designed to serve a broad swath of people, not to be interesting, and it’s there mainly to keep you from starving.
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